Saturday January 15, 2005 8:10 pm

Microsoft Longhorn Could Be All-Inclusive

It looks like the next version of the Windows OS, codenamed Longhorn, could possibly integrate features of Microsoft’s Media Center and Tablet PC features into the main OS. The example given is docking your laptop and having it act as a Media Center, and then undocking and act like a tablet. While Microsoft may think these features being built into the system give its users more flexibility, it will likely make the OS more bloated than it needs to be. Most users with HTPC systems have their own software for running their computers, and having Windows force settings on them might not sit well with the crowd. Microsoft is still deciding on the direction they would like the next OS to take.